Machine tool



c. F. RANDOLPH MACHINE TOOL Filed March 51, 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN YEN T01? A TTORNEY y 1927' c. F. RANDOLPH MACHINE TOOL Filed March 31; 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Juiy 1927.

C' F. RAN DOLPH MACHINE TOOL Filed March 31, 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 oaeacwox w i i [NYE/(T00 l TTOHIIEY 1,634,384 6. F. RANDOLPH MACHINE TOOL Filed March 31, 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 I III/f A TTQHIVEY Patented July 5, 1927.

TEE.)

FATENT QFFlCE.

CLIFFORD IE. RANDOLPH, 0F PLAINFIELD, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR T0 NILES-BEMENT- POND COMPANY, OF NEYV YORK, N. Y., A COREORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

MACHINE TOOL.

Application filed March 31, 1924.

This invention relates to machine tools and particularly to planers as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Planers, boring mills, radial drills and like machines in clude a horizontal tool supporting rail or arm having one or more tool supporting saddles slidably mounted thereon. The cutting operations performed. by such machines will be more accurate and the parts will better withstand the cutting strains if the saddles are secured rigidly to the rail during the cutting operations. It is accordingly an object of my invention to provide improved power operated means for rigidly clamping the saddle or saddles of such machine tools to their supporting rails.

Another object of my invention is to provide saddle clamping means including electric motor means supported by the rail, and other means on the rail for manually and independently controlling the power clamping and unclamping operations of the saddles.

More specifically, it is an object of my invcntion to provide two electric motors on one end of the rail respectively connected to clamping mechanism on two saddles slidably mounted on the rail, and means including two switch operating rods on the rail for independently controlling the clamping and uuclamping operations of the two saddles.

it is another object of my invention to provide a safety means on a planer or like machine for opening the circuit of the rail adjusting motor when the rail is adjusted to a predetermined position thus stopping the adjustment of the rail, and preventing damage thereto.

Another object of my invention is to provide further safety means in connection with the rail and side head of a planer and in connection with the two tool supporting saddles on the rail for opening the circuit to the adjusting motor when the rail and side head or the two saddles approach each other to a predetermined relative position, thus stopping the motor and preventing damage to the machine.

With the above and other objects in view, my invention consists in the features of construction and operation set forth in the folspeciiication and illustrated in the Serial No. 703,199.

accompanying drawings. In such drawings annexed hereto and forming a part of this specification I have shown certain embodiments of my invention but it will be understood that the invention can be otherwise embodied and that the drawings are not to be construed as defining or limiting the scope of the invention, the claims appended to this specification being relied upon for that purpose. I

Referring to the figures of the drawings:

Figure 1 is an elevation of the right or front side of a planer constructed in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is a front end elevation thereof.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan view showing the rail and its cooperating mechanism.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary front elevation thereof.

Fig. 5 is a sectional plan view of the rail taken on line 55 of Fig. 7

Fig. 6 is a front side View of the rail partially in section.

Fig. 7 is a rear side view thereof.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary view of Fig. 7

Fig. 9 is a plan view thereof.

Fig. 10 is an enlarged fragmentary front elevation of the rear end of the rail.

Fig. 11 is a cross section thereof on line 1111 of Fig. 10.

Figs. 12 and 13 are respectively rear and side elevations of a safety controlling switch.

Fig. 1a is a front elevation of the levers for controlling the saddle clamping mecnanlsm.

Fig. 15 is a cross section thereof on line 1515 of Fig. 14.

line 1818 of Fig. 17 and showing the drive for operating such clamping mechanism.

Fig. 19 is a sectional view of the other saddle clamping mechanism taken on line 1919 of Fig. i.

Fig. 20 is a detail sectional view taken on line 2020 of Fig. 19 and showing the drive for operating such clumping mecl1- anism.

Fig. 21 is a fragmentary plan view of the mechanism shown in ltigs. 1e: and. 15.

The various operating parts of large planer-s, such as is illustrated in the accour panying druwine... are ordinarily too heavy to be conveniently adjusted and operated manually. These operations, such as the adjusting oi the rail side heads and tool sad dles, are therefore performed by power. it is obvious that should the o iierator fail to release this power at the proper time. the parts would clash and damage the machine. As shown in the drawings. I perform all these adjustments from an electric motor and one object of the invention is to provide circuit breaker means in connection with the said parts :t'or breaking the circuit to the motorbetore any chishing of the parts takes place.

Damage to the machine from such cause is therefore automatically and positively prevented. Furthermore the invention contemplates the power clamping of the tool saddles to the cross rail, preferably by independent electric motors mounted on the cross rail. These motors are conveniently controlled manually by switch controlling rods and cooperating handles on the cross rail as illustrated. These several parts of my invention will now be described in detail.

Referring to the drawings, 1 indicates the bed of a planer having a work table 2 slidably mounted thereon and a pair of uprights 8 respectively at opposite sides of the table. A cross rail t is mounted to slide vertically on the uprights and adapted to slidably support a pair of tool head saddles 5 and 6 thereon. Side head saddles and 8 are respectively supported on the uprights beneath the rail. The table 2 is adapted to be IQClPlOkltGtl by means of a motor (not shown) and such reciprocation is automatically controlled by a pilot switch operated by table dogs 9 operating on switch arms 10. This mechanism and its operation are iully described in Patent No. 1,299,192. The movements of the table n'ia'y be controlled by means of a pendent switch 11. which is close bed in detail in Reissue Patent No. 141,540 dated October 22, 1918.

An electric motor 12 is mounted on the arch 13 of the planer and this motor is adapted to feed and trai rse all the tool supports and adjust the r on the uprights. The operating connections from the motor to the tool supports are substantially the same as those disclosed in the first above cited. patent. These connections will now be briefly described.

The cross rail 1 is in threaded connection with and supported by a pair oi screws 1 t journalcd in the uprights. Bevel gears 1! operatively connect shaft 16 with these screws. This shaft can. be operatively connected to the motor 12 by means 01 a clutch 1? controlled by a clutch shifting}; lever to. The motor can be rotated in either direction to elevate or lower the rail 4:.

A pair of vr 11y extending; teed shai'ts it are rotatably mounted on the tllJl'lgl'tijS and are adapted to be driven trom the motor 12 through bevel gears 20 and ashatt 21. The front. or right side shaft 19 is adapted to be adapted to be operatively connected to the rail screws 22 and shafts to feed and traverse the tool supports thereon by the mechanism disclosed in the first said pate t. The side heads T and 8 are supported on rotary nuts journaled in such. heads and threadedly engaging screws nonrotatably mour ed in the uprights. The she ';s it) are adapted to teed ant traverse the side heads by rotating' these nuts through the mechanism illustrated in the said patent and partially illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings herein.

its heretofore stated, the invention contemplates automatically actinp; means for preventing the elevating and lowering;' of the cross rail beyond predetermined points, the clashing oi the rail and side heads and the clashing: of the two saddles 5 and 6. shown in r t, 12 and 13, a circuit breaker box' 26 is mounted on the rail above each side head. The electric circuit to the motor extends through the switch in this box. A pin 27 is slidably mounted in a bracket 28 beneath each box 26, springs 20 being provided for normally holding the pin seated against the bracket. Downward movement of the rail or upward movement of the side heads to the position illrrstrated will. engage the pins with the side heads in a manner to move the pins upwardly. Such movement of either pin will act against the adjacent spring; pressed switch button 30 in a. man ner to torce such button inwardly and break the circuit to the motor. it, like circuit breaker 81 is mounted on th ii'ont upripght over the rail. Upward movement of the rail to s ch position is adapted to engage the rail with this circuit brcaser and stop the motor in the same manner.

Another circuit breaker b0): 32 is mounted. on the back of the rail. adjacent the rear end. thereof. A pin 33 extends through the rail (Figs. 10 and 11)" and engages against a cam 34: on a shaft 35 extending along the rail. A spring; 36 normally uol'ds the shaft. and cam in the position illustrated in Fig. 11. Keyed to the shaft adjacent the saddle 5 (Fig. 5) is a arm 37. it. braclret having an inclined cam surface 38 is bolted to the saddle 6 in a position adapting; the cam surface to cooperate with the arm 3? when the saddles approach each other. The construction is such that when the saddles As I til)

closely approach each other, the arm 37 will engage and ride down the inclined surface 38 thereby rotating the shaft in a manner to force the pin 33 toward the box 32 and break the circuit to the motor 12. The motor will therefore be stopped as will also the rotation of the screws 22.

The circuit breaker 31 prevents the elevation of the cross rail beyond a predetermined point. The circuit breakers 26 prevent the lowering of the rail to a point where it would clash with the side heads and likewise prevent the elevating of the ide heads to clash with the rail. The circuit breaker 32 and its coo aerating mechanism above described prevents the coming together of the rail heads or saddles.

lVl'len performing planing operations wherein the saddles and 6 are not automatically fed along the rail, it is desirable that such saddles be securely clamped to the rail. Accordingly, I provide a clampin mechanism, as shown in detail in Figs. 17 and 19, on each saddle. Referring particularly to Figs. 4, 16 and 17, a clamping pin 39 is non-rotatably splined for axial movement in a bracket 40 secured to the top of the saddle 5 by bolts 41. The lower end of the pin is screwthreaded and rests on a long taper gib 42 between the saddle and rail. ["1 worm gear 43 is rotatably journaled in the saddle beneath the bracket 40 and in threaded engagement with the pin 39. R0- tation of the worm gear in one direction is adapted to force the pin downwardly against the gib and thereby clamp the saddle to the rail. 14, like clamping mechanism is mounted on the saddle 6 (Fig. 19) and the several. parts thereof are denoted by like reference characters, primed.

The worm gears 43 and 43 are adapted to be respectively operated by motors 44 and 44 mounted on the left end of the rail. A pair of parallel shafts 45 and 46 extend along the rail and are respectively connected. to the motors 44 and 44 by bevel gears 47 and 48. These shafts pass through the brackets 40 and 40 and are journaled at ends in the rail. A worm 49 loose on t 46 is in mesh with the worm gear lnion 50 (Fig. 18) secured to the in mesh with a pinion 51 splined to A worm 52 (Fig; 20) splined to the shaft 46 is in mesh with the worm gear 43. Thus, the motor 44 is adapted to drive the worm 49 and worm gear 43 through the shaft 45 and. pinions 50 and 51 while the motor 44 is adapted to drive the worm and worm gear 43 through the shaft 46.

The clamping motors 44 and 44 are respectively controlled by control boxes 53 and 53 mounted on the rail adjacent the motors. Control rods 54 and 54 connected to the controls by bevel gears 55 and 55 extend the entire length of the rail and through the brackets 40 and 40. The control rods extend into a bracket 56 at the front or right end of the rail. Two coaxial handles 57 and 58 on this bracket are respectively connected to the control rods 54 and 54. The handle 58 is keyed to a shaft- 59 (Fig. 15) connected to the rod 54 by bevel gears 60. The handle 57 is keyed to a bushing 61 loose on the shaft 59 and connected to the rod 54 by bevel gears 62.

' As shown in Fig. 14, a pointer 63 on the shaft 59 is adapted to show whether the saddle 6 is clamped or unclamped and a spring pressed ball 64 is adapted to hold the mechanism in either of its two positions. A like pointer 65 is mounted on the bushing 61 and carries a spring pressed ball 66 for the same purpose.

The rod 54 can be rotated either by the handle 57 or by a handle 67 mounted on the saddle 5 and splined to such rod. The rod 54 can in like manner be rotated either by the handle 58 or by a handle 68 mounted on the saddle 6 and splined to such rod. Pin and slot connections 69 and 70 respectively between the handle 57 and pointer member 65 and handle 58 and pointer member 63 permit movement of the rods by the handles 67 and 68 without moving the handles 57 and 58 from their normal vertical position. Both handles 5 and 58 can move between two stops 71 and 72. The stop 71 limits the movement of the handle 57 and rod 54 in the clamping direction and movement of the roo in the opposite direction is limited by a shoulder on a collar 73 on the rod 54 (Fig. 17) coming into contact with a cooperating shoulder on the clamping pin 39. Likewise the stop 72 limits the movement of the handle 58 and rod 54 in the clamping direction and movement of the rod in the opposite direction is limited by a shoulder on a collar 74 on the rod 54 (Fig. 19) cominginto contact with a cooperating shoulder on the clamping pin 39. Springs 75 and 75 (Fig. 8) normally hold the control shafts 54and 54' in the neutral position.

The mechanism just described therefore provides power means for clamping the saddles to the rail and controlling means on the rail for independently effecting the clamping and unclamping of the sa dles. The handles 57 and 58 provide controlling means at the operatorls usual position at the right end of the rail and the handles 67 and 68 provide cooperating controlling means directly at the saddles. Thus, the clamping mechanism is always directly under the con-- trol of the operator whether he is adjacent the work or at the front of the machine.

The threaded clamping means, as shown 1,63 est of its saddle and therefore provides considernble area for securely elilecting the clamping of the saddles.

ill; is believed that the construction and UPQFZIilOD of my improvements as above described in connection with the accompanying drawings will be clearly understood, A further description of the operation thereof is therefore believed to be unnecessary. The usual operating parts of the planer not fully described herein are substantially like those shown in the li "st named patent.

l i hat l claim is:

1. lo a machine tool, the combination of aho ontal rail, a tool supporting saddle slidabie thereon, screw threaded means on the saddle for elainpi the saddle to the rail, p wer operated means eluding a rotary shaft on the rail for rotating the screw threaded means in either direction to clamp and rinclamp the saddle, and means supported by the rail tor controlling the motor.

2. In a machine tool, the combination of a horizontal rail, av tool supporting saddle slidable thereon, saddle clamping means in cluding a screw threaded plug nonrotatably su poi-tee in the saddle and a worm gear threaded to the plug, a shaft extending along the rail, a worm splined to the shaft and in mesh with the worm gear, and power operated means for rotating the shaft in either direction to clamp and unclainp the saddle.

3. 111 a planer, the combination of a hori zontal rail, a pair of tool saddles slidable thereon, power operated means on the rail for clamping the saddles to the rail, and means on the rail for manually and individually controlling the power clamping and unclamping operations.

in a planer, the combination oi a horizontal rail, a pair of tool saddles slidable thereon, independently operated power means on the rail tor clamping the saddles to the rail, and means on the rail for mannally and independently controlling the power cl amping and nnclan'iping operations of the two saddles.

t T 1 1,, 4 1 l f' 1 s' a. in a ,9 this, b re com JlnuolOn o a 1011 zontal rail, :1 pair of tool saddles shdable thereon, motor means on the red for lndepondently clan'iping' the saddles to the rail,

and independently operated switch means on the rail for manually controlling the power clamping and unclamping ope *ations.

6. ln a planer, the combination of a horizontal rail, a pair of tool saddles slidable thereon, independently ope "ated motor means on the rail lor clamping the saddles to the rail, and independently operated switch means for the motor means for manually and independently controlling the power clamping and unclamping operations oi the two saddles.

in a. planer, the combination of a horieontal rail, a pair of tool saddles slidalole thereon, a pair of independently operated motors on the rail, clamping means on each saddle tor clamping the saddles to the rail, independent means including shafts extending along the rail for respectively connecting the motors with the clamping means, and manually operated means on the rail for controlling the motors.

8. In a planer, the combination of a horizontal rail, pair of tool saddles slidable thereon, a pair or independently operated motors nnninted on one end of the rail, clamping means on each saddle for clamping the saddles to tle rail, independent means including shafts extendingalong the rail for respectively connecting the motors with the clamping means, and means including a switch operating shaft extending along the rail to the other end thereof for controlling the motors.

9. In a planer, the combination of a horizontal rail, a pair of tool saddles slidable thereon, a pair of independently operated motors mounted on one end of the rail, clamping means on each saddle for clamping the saddles to the rail, independently operated means including shafts extending along the rail for res ectively connecting the motors with the clamping means, a controller on the rail for each motor, and a pair of controlling rods respectively connected to the controllers and extending along the rail.

ln testimony whereof, 1 hereto aflix my signature.

CLIFFORD l RANDOLPH. 

